Header wrap - good or bad?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 429
Likes: 2
From: Oak Ridge NJ
Header wrap - good or bad?
I'm rebuilding my 76 C3 and made every attempt to salvage the AC of which the previous owner cut up or removed. The salvage attempt did not make sense considering the costs involved so I removed everything.. Installed an AC Delete cover that looks great and painted the entire engine compartment to give it a factory look as part of the rebuild process.
My concern is the heat coming from the headers. I installed ceramic Headman headers and was told the car will roast your feet w/o wrapping the headers to help dissipate the heat. I'm installing a ball valve on one of the heater hoses to have the option of keeping the hot water out of the heater core in the summer to help this problem.
Will header wrap help? I have chromed a lot of engine parts under the hood and the idea of wrapping the new headers with white or black header tape will detract from the overall detail in the engine compartment.
Thoughts?
Mike
My concern is the heat coming from the headers. I installed ceramic Headman headers and was told the car will roast your feet w/o wrapping the headers to help dissipate the heat. I'm installing a ball valve on one of the heater hoses to have the option of keeping the hot water out of the heater core in the summer to help this problem.
Will header wrap help? I have chromed a lot of engine parts under the hood and the idea of wrapping the new headers with white or black header tape will detract from the overall detail in the engine compartment.
Thoughts?
Mike
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,697
Likes: 139
From: Syracuse NY
This is one of those great debate question....heres my .02...header wrap is designed to scavenge heat, keeping the pipes hot and allowing to gasses to almost get 'pulled' out of the pipes. They also heat the metal to its upper limits and will cause premature metal fatigue. This isnt a big deal if you are running a race car and can swap parts out all the time, but I dont want to replace headers on my DD every few seasons.
Header wrap also doesnt really cut down the under hood temps that much.
Lastly, unless the headers are OFF the car, they are impossible to wrap correctly. I tried wrapping my Camaro and it was a total debacle. Dont even attempt to wrap if the headers are still on the car.
Bottom line...you wont notice a performance gain, you wont notice a under hood/in cabin heat reduction. I just saved you a bunch of time and money... 8*)...but again, its just my opinion.
Header wrap also doesnt really cut down the under hood temps that much.
Lastly, unless the headers are OFF the car, they are impossible to wrap correctly. I tried wrapping my Camaro and it was a total debacle. Dont even attempt to wrap if the headers are still on the car.
Bottom line...you wont notice a performance gain, you wont notice a under hood/in cabin heat reduction. I just saved you a bunch of time and money... 8*)...but again, its just my opinion.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 429
Likes: 2
From: Oak Ridge NJ
This is one of those great debate question....heres my .02...header wrap is designed to scavenge heat, keeping the pipes hot and allowing to gasses to almost get 'pulled' out of the pipes. They also heat the metal to its upper limits and will cause premature metal fatigue. This isnt a big deal if you are running a race car and can swap parts out all the time, but I dont want to replace headers on my DD every few seasons.
Header wrap also doesnt really cut down the under hood temps that much.
Lastly, unless the headers are OFF the car, they are impossible to wrap correctly. I tried wrapping my Camaro and it was a total debacle. Dont even attempt to wrap if the headers are still on the car.
Bottom line...you wont notice a performance gain, you wont notice a under hood/in cabin heat reduction. I just saved you a bunch of time and money... 8*)...but again, its just my opinion.
Header wrap also doesnt really cut down the under hood temps that much.
Lastly, unless the headers are OFF the car, they are impossible to wrap correctly. I tried wrapping my Camaro and it was a total debacle. Dont even attempt to wrap if the headers are still on the car.
Bottom line...you wont notice a performance gain, you wont notice a under hood/in cabin heat reduction. I just saved you a bunch of time and money... 8*)...but again, its just my opinion.
Mike
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 232
Likes: 0
From: MA
Thanks for the feedback. The performance gains are not what I'm looking for. I'm simply trying to dissipate the heat w/o roosting inside the cabin. The engine is out of the car and sitting on an engine stand, painted, dressed out and ready to go. I could easily wrap the headers now, but the question remains, will this help for heat purposes only?
Mike
Mike
that runs around 190 degrees on a 90 degree day. The whole headers aren't wrapped. Only the part where the header meats the side pipes. To be honest, if you aren't driving with the tops off and windows down, you will probably pass out. This past summer, I took it out on the hottest day of the year (109 degrees) and i had to have a cooler of water to drink or I would probably pass out. If you're going for looks, you must bare the heat. If you are looking for a cruiser that you want to use like an everyday driver, you must sacrifice some looks. I don't believe the heat wrap will help that much, if any at all. It will be too hot to tell the difference anyway. Corvettes are known to have hot leg room areas. There isn't much seperating you from that heat generator, being such a compact area.
Racer
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 375
Likes: 0
From: LaSalle ON
Putting a shut-off in your heater core lines to keep coolant out of the heater core during the summer will do more to keep your feet cool than wrapping the headers. I disconnected mine totally. 500+hp SBC that runs between 180 and 200, very little insulation under the carpet, and no extra heat in the cabin after disconnecting the heater core.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 232
Likes: 0
From: MA
Putting a shut-off in your heater core lines to keep coolant out of the heater core during the summer will do more to keep your feet cool than wrapping the headers. I disconnected mine totally. 500+hp SBC that runs between 180 and 200, very little insulation under the carpet, and no extra heat in the cabin after disconnecting the heater core.
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 429
Likes: 2
From: Oak Ridge NJ
Very nice Corvettefirstimer.. I'll bet that car runs pretty well too..
I'll stick with the ball valve route. It'll provide the option to prevent coolant from getting into the heater core and limit the heat in the cabin, hopefully that'll be enough with the windows down and the tops off. I don't want to completely remove the heater core, it's brand new, I'd like heat in the cooler months right before the harsh winter (before the car gets stored away).
A friend of mine is a machinist and will build a mount for the ball valve where it'll be installed on the passenger side fender well in line where the hoses route to the heater core. As I said earlier, the entire AC system has been removed and there's a lot of room with the AC delete cover installed. The intent is to try and make the ball valve configuration look like a factory installation, it'll be cool. I'll post pictures as I progress.
Thank you
Mike
I'll stick with the ball valve route. It'll provide the option to prevent coolant from getting into the heater core and limit the heat in the cabin, hopefully that'll be enough with the windows down and the tops off. I don't want to completely remove the heater core, it's brand new, I'd like heat in the cooler months right before the harsh winter (before the car gets stored away).
A friend of mine is a machinist and will build a mount for the ball valve where it'll be installed on the passenger side fender well in line where the hoses route to the heater core. As I said earlier, the entire AC system has been removed and there's a lot of room with the AC delete cover installed. The intent is to try and make the ball valve configuration look like a factory installation, it'll be cool. I'll post pictures as I progress.
Thank you
Mike
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,070
Likes: 5
From: N.Richland Hills Texas
I guess I was lucky... My interior cooled off at least twenty degrees after the 383 and Hookers were installed... Almost all the heat that was close to the firewall and floorboards is gone... And I can't see wrapping the beautiful chrome "snake dance" of the headers ... Like wrapping tree trunks the wrap holds moisture and debris causing corrosion ect.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 232
Likes: 0
From: MA
I guess I was lucky... My interior cooled off at least twenty degrees after the 383 and Hookers were installed... Almost all the heat that was close to the firewall and floorboards is gone... And I can't see wrapping the beautiful chrome "snake dance" of the headers ... Like wrapping tree trunks the wrap holds moisture and debris causing corrosion ect.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 429
Likes: 2
From: Oak Ridge NJ
I guess I was lucky... My interior cooled off at least twenty degrees after the 383 and Hookers were installed... Almost all the heat that was close to the firewall and floorboards is gone... And I can't see wrapping the beautiful chrome "snake dance" of the headers ... Like wrapping tree trunks the wrap holds moisture and debris causing corrosion ect.
Mike
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 93
Likes: 0
I am using wrap on my lower pipes from the header collectors to the crossmember, I do know it works great on motorcycles, I race ice bikes and use to get my rt. leg burned from the exhaust until I wrapped it.....doesn't even get warm now.....Fred
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,373
Likes: 6
From: Baltimore MD
No debate about it,it works ,cooled mine down "ALOT" its now comfortable and enjoyable to drive.My car is supercharged and can tell you for a fact it works Just take your time and wrap them good.I also did my exhaust under my seats.
Just take your time and wrap them good.I also did my exhaust under my seats.
Last edited by Billysvette; Dec 17, 2011 at 07:12 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,560
Likes: 4
From: Arlington texas
The biggest negative that I have heard is the corrosion aspect from them getting wet and trapping the moisture in. I think it would cool your passenger compartment down quite a bit but nowadays there are many alternatives available to insulate under the body of the cars with lizard skin and lots of different heat shields that can be adapted and are out of sight. If you want to keep the chrome look, search further and see if there is something else available that will help you out.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
I believe the most effective solution is to put heat insulation under the carpeting in the passenger section of the interior...particularly over the transmission tunnel (EVERYWHERE...not just where it is convenient to do so) and as high up on the firewall as possible. Then, you can also insulate the underside of the body between pipes and body surfaces. The '68 and '69 C3's had insulation pads and metal heat shields under the body; you may want to look into purchasing those to add to your car.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,373
Likes: 6
From: Baltimore MD
It will still get warm with insulation under your carpet,if you have headers,for best results ,you should do both carpet insulation and headers.Your header will not rust out if you dont drive it in the rain,there is some truth about the wrap rusting out headers,but i dont drive in rain and there is not a speck of rust on my headers.and my headers are not coated with anything.I dont think once in a while driving in the rain will hurt either.Some of the wraps out there have graphite in them ,which will help with the rust issues i think.
Drifting
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,546
Likes: 5
From: Sacramento California
I agree with Billysvette.
On my 69 I have ceramic heat coating on the underside from the lower firewall to the rear seat mounts, refletix under every part of the carpet, and the factory jute padding, my feet would still burn. When I replaced my cheap headers with some Hooker super comps, I wrapped them (a lot easier off the car) and it is a night and day difference. I can actually drive the car on hot days now. I also noticed a big difference in under hood heat too.
Just my two cents
On my 69 I have ceramic heat coating on the underside from the lower firewall to the rear seat mounts, refletix under every part of the carpet, and the factory jute padding, my feet would still burn. When I replaced my cheap headers with some Hooker super comps, I wrapped them (a lot easier off the car) and it is a night and day difference. I can actually drive the car on hot days now. I also noticed a big difference in under hood heat too.
Just my two cents